Tips and tricks to get more out of your EMDR therapy + my experiences

MY MENTAL HEALTH STORIES: ptsdanddepress...
EMDR THERAPY LOGS: ptsdanddepress...
GENERAL THERAPY THOUGHTS & TIPS
For me, the hardest part was admitting I need help to a complete stranger.
If you are in the military and want to get help, but afraid you will get punished or lose your clearance. I had a TOP SECRET (CNWIDI) clearance and I was still able to operate when walked into medical and broke down in tears asking for help. This of course is on a case by case basis.
You can go to therapy and not be in therapy at all. Research disassociation
Disassociation is a slippery thing. I literally had to force my brain to stay in my body like it was a fish caught on a line and it did NOT want to be caught.
It is extremely painful stuff. It doesn’t matter what type of trauma you go through. This shit hurts but it can get better, but you have to want it.
I wish I could give you a peak into what I have seen so far, but I guess you'll just have to settle for my blog posts.
You will have to walk down the path on your own, but that doesn't mean you have to be alone. Find people that love and support you to give you high 5s on the way. Think you don't have anyone? Yeah, I've been there as well. I'll try to be one of them if you need me to be.
It is exhausting, but you know what is even more exhausting? Keeping everything inside. It takes an incredible amount of energy to keep negative thoughts inside. I heard that somewhere, but I didn't really understand until I was able to let something go.
It is an incredibly slow process especially when you are resisting and you don’t even know it.
Holding back information will hinder your healing. I’ll never forget the first time my therapist I was thinking about suicide. It felt great, and it wasn't a surprise to them.
Being open to others about your mental health invites others to share their own issues / experiences. Hell, I tell random strangers these days lol.
MY EMDR EXPERIENCE SO FAR
The EMDR experience in general is just interesting
I have seen real signs of progress for once, but with all of the other things I am doing it is hard to say which thing is actually working, but I can say for sure that the entire combo of what I am using is working.
It is a confusing thing to wrap your head around. I spent the first one or two sessions trying to understand the what was going on, but it Really started working when I stopped trying so hard.
I feel lighter.
I’ve balled my eyes out as well.
While doing talk therapy it took me 8 months to even crack a whisper of a tear and it was gone just as fast. EMDR did it in two session.
I have had some wild dreams, but nothing to bad.
I felt the feeling of excitement for the first time in a VERY long time.
I am remembering things from my past that I couldn’t recall before.
I feel less withdrawn.
I feel less vulnerable to stress.